Arizona Reporter » The Miracle Question

The Miracle Question

Being coached through a major transition this article resonates! Whilst preparing for tomorrow's session I "stumbled" upon this article - I just have to share it:

"Setting goals and creating change is not easy. Yes, it is fairly simple to write the next day's goals on a "to do" list and sometimes accomplish the majority of them. But, when it comes to achieving a goal that can make a huge difference in our lives, it's often a challenge. I'm speaking of goals like changing a job or pursuing your passion. Your goal could also be dealing with a physical abuse issue, a bullying problem or letting go of a damaging relationship or healing a present one. The list goes on.



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The reason that these goals are so challenging is that we, by our nature, are over-analytical. Plus, we often create the illusion that we are actually accomplishing something when we are really just procrastinating by worrying, fretting and over-thinking our goal. Then there is fear. "
For the full article: Arizona Reporter » The Miracle Question

BEST Andrea Bocelli Song EVER! - (HQ Sound) - The Lord's Prayer (better ...

PARTNERSHIPS: Networking With Professionals-In-Action

ACT -

As I am participating in a group discussion** on LinkedIn it reminded about my love for language... and more so about the playful, very creative, even ingenious use of Acronyms! This then prompted me to copy the following from my Webpage  (and did I enjoy playing around a bit between the two sites! )

**The discussion's heading? Strong interest in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) application to coaching. Does anyone share my passion and know about training in ACT related coaching?

This whole exercise has energised and inspired me to remake this blog and let it be known. About Acceptance and Commitment therapy, or ACT:  It's is a cognitive-behavioral model of psychotherapy that you can learn about on Wikipedia and a host of other places.
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Reframing Cultural and Professional Discourses

[From: Enabling Human Service Providers to Manage Compassion Fatigue through Pastoral Practices – a Transdisciplinary Study. Boshard, E (2003) PhD- unpublished dissertation]
A central theme that emerged from the reflecting team re-Treats was that of acceptance as a way of reconciliation.

Reflection-in-action is enhanced by focusing on the knowing-in-action. For the reflecting team members who came as clients it was exciting to share in the activities of the networkers’ own constant training and development. Various topics would be scheduled for future sessions according to the need expressed by the members. In the spirit of enquiry participants would then research a topic and arrive at the meeting with positive ideas. We call this activity ACT, linking it to our Network’s name. PROFACT is short for Professionals-in-Action. The spirit of competition against the system became the vehicle that turned fruitless competition into learning experiences. For instance one team truly bought into the concept of acceptance, commitment and take action. Team members spontaneously produced coasters for their coffee mugs with the company’s emblem on the one side and the word ‘ACT’ on the other. When misunderstandings would loom, or a person experienced a need to be heard, it was accepted that (s)he may raise the coaster. These events, dubbed creative misunderstandings, enhanced group-learning.

In our creative workshops we often playfully interact with acronyms. Participants agreed that there are many important issues that could be identified and be recalled in the heat of the game by focusing on ACT. Waving the ACT coaster often serves to defuse what could become a volatile situation. The following condensed extract describes one of the PROFACT’s brainstorming maps, recorded on flip charts during a re-Treat.

We all embraced ACT as a way of being, in our work and in other relationships. The following description of ACT is also copied from the worksheet presented at that re-Treat. This is how it was recorded:

 A: I can ‘Analyze, Acknowledge and Accept’, my own limitations and strengths, as I do those of my clients – Affect is my emotional companion, just as much part of my whole self as the leaves are part of a tree.
C: Commitment is to turn constraints into Choice, embracing the opportunities around the bend. Choice is my Cognitive part and helps determine whether I live as victim or survivor. It is part of my whole self, like the branches of a tree.
T: The ‘problem’ is not a threat – even the‘X’  is not a threat. By discovering what is most important to my True self, the threat loses its power. My untested perceptions may be seen as a threat. However as I tract my progress I am in Tune with my I am my own T with my choices.
Therefore ACT will guide my behavioural preferences, and I shall be free indeed!  [This worksheet was developed from the work done by Fox, (2002); Hayes, Barnes-Holmes, and Roche (2001). It was redesigned by one of the workgroups who attended the retreat for the Networkers in 2002. These re-Treat weekends signalled turning points in our work and inspired me to embark on research and dissertation-writing.] COPIED AND ADAPTED, today 17 NOV 2010, FROM:  http://profact.co.za/consultation/  

2011 - SOL-SA1 - THE STORY UNFOLDS

SOL-SA1 --- FROM THE BEGINNING

Where did it all start?

It was way back in 2003 when I was working on my doctorate when a group of international SF-therapists (- whom I 'met' on the SFT-List Serve) collaborated in a Virtual Reflecting Team - a WOW-experience like no other in almost all my life!


And so I became exposed to a community of extraordinary people – no chips on shoulders there, no turf wars --- just a community of generous and open people who shared and collaborated without holding back!

I saw enormous changes in my clients, and captured some of the work in the dissertation. I still see the “Magic of Miracles” and still have the same burning desire to continue to share and care the richness of SF practices with others.

In 2008 Stanus Cloete attended the Leader as Coach-event, presented by my host, Dr Frank N Thomas…. and he was hooked right then

Afterwards Stanus and I worked very hard for months! He followed that up by obtaining his Sol-PRO status and eventually I could pass the baton for the next stretch of the race to him when it was clear that he’s prepared, convinced and committed!

Now we are inviting you to join, help prepare for, and celebrate SOL-SA 1. What would you like to know that would convince you to join us??? We need you!

WE HAVE A BATON OR MORE TO PASS ON.....  COME JOIN IN

I'm OK- You're OK -- From Dr Elta's Enablers NING

WE have a dream: to create a virtual space for the creation of a Northern TA Tribe....

So indeed -what is TA??

KAREN PRATT - January 24, 2010 at 8:10am
Transactional Analysis is a simple yet profound way of understanding how and why people think, feel and behave as they do. Developed by Eric Berne in the 1950's, it makes accessible theories of human development, personality and communication. It has concepts that can be learned and applied as tools for personal and professional growth and change. The underlying philosophy is one of mutual self-respect and caring and a belief in peoples' ability to be responsible, think for themselves and choose to change. What more wonderful model could we hope for to support the transformation and development of all our communities?

TA has four fields of application:

Psychotherapy - The therapist uses a contract for specific changes desired by the client and involves the Adult ego state of the client and clinician to sort out patterns of behaviour, feelings and thoughts that prevent the development of full human potential.

Counselling - Counsellors who use TA work directly on "here and now" problem solving with their clients

Psychotherapy and Counselling are the therapeutic, clinical uses of TA. Practitioners will have another qualification that enables them to practice professionally, and use TA to enrich their practice.

Organisations - TA is a powerful tool in the hands of organisational development specialists. It enables people in organisations to understand their dysfunctional patterns of behaviour and change to a functional organisation.

Education - TA gives insight to people involved in learning in all its forms, as to how people learn best, how best to foster self esteem in learners, to be in charge in a healthy, life giving way, boosting student morale, equipping parents and educators with skills for effective discipline.

The organisational and educational fields form the strand of TA known as Developmental Transactional Analysis. As developmental TA-ers we ask: what goes well? what can be even better? We help people to focus on what they want, instead of what they don't want any more.

People do TA for various reasons - for some it’s a once-off introductory TA 101 weekend - for others they choose to become qualified.

The first level of qualification is a Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) and this will be in one of the four fields I described above. This is a challenging and rigorous process requiring 2000 hours of study, use of TA, supervision and personal work. There is a written thesis on an in-the-field project, and when that is passed, an oral exam in front of an international board. it is a life changing experience! After this the CTA can choose to be accredited as a TA 101 Instructor and run 101 workshops.

The next level is a Provisional Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (PTSTA) This enables the practitioner to train TA to others to qualification level.

The final level is a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (TSTA) - this is another rigorous oral board exam that is undertaken after 5 to 7 years of being a PTSTA with regular supervision by a TSTA.

I have run TA 101 workshops throughout 2009 and I am starting an ongoing training group in Feb 2010. This will be in Cape Town. I have also been asked to run such a group in Ireland and start with a 101 there in May. How about Pretoria - I would love to have a third group there!! I believe my experience with different groups in different cultures and countries will be a rich experience both for me and the groups I work with.

Join me on this journey -you will be changed in many ways!

SF COACHING FOR POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH

Welcome!
I am starting this firstly for my coaching students, and secondly, other coaches and stakeholders who are interested in Networking with us as we go through the course, Coaching for Traumatic Stress and Growth.

The purpose is to share our questions and our stories, to explore the effects of traumatic stress on our own lives and relationships, our communities; and to become equipped to make a positive difference.

My dream: as we labour in our various professions, that we will collaborate, integrate, and especially create an awareness of the importance of the care-for-the-caregiver (e.g the "body"-work) in order to expand and share our ideas concerning resilience, values and ethics.

It's a small beginning - one that I hope will grow with your contributions.

Looking forward that you will willingly share your wisdom, tell some of your stories and raise your concerns, by JOYfully asking the questions that will spark our conversations.

Elta